ABSTRACT
Describe the evolution of the production function ◾ Identify the critical success factors (CSF) needed by manufacturing companies ◾ Describe the types of production strategies and explain how they relate to ◾ response times and levels of customization Explain the diff erences between batch fl ow and lean fl ow production ◾ Identify the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing ◾ Describe the diff erence between a transaction approach and a process ◾ approach to business operations Justify why a process approach is preferable to a transaction approach ◾ Discuss the major trends in production ◾
Introduction In Chapter 6, we described the distribution and retail functions designed to move goods and services from the manufacturer to the consumer. In this chapter, we will describe how these goods or products are produced. As an overview, we will begin by providing some defi nitions from the APICS Dictionary.1
